About

I am a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, located at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh (ROE) on Blackford Hill. I work on quasars, observational cosmology, and big, big sky surveys : I am the PI of the UKIRT Infrared Sky Survey (UKIDSS). I am also the leader of a project called AstroGrid, which is part of an international inititiative to create a global Virtual Observatory.

You can see my home page at the ROE - it has an overview of research and some copies of my popular talks.

Currently I am doing my tour of duty as Head of the School of Physics. I am therefore depressingly expert on the management and admin burdens placed on modern academics. And as for astro-politics .. very exciting when you are winning and a flattening waste of time when you are not ..

Last but not least I have four kids and much less hair than I used to. I don’t think these facts are connected, except through the usual linked variable, time.

The header picture shows a panoramic view of Edinburgh from the Kings Buildings campus of the University, in the South of Edinburgh. The Firth of Forth can be seen stretching across the picture. On the far left skyline is Edinburgh castle; to the right can be seen Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s seat, and extinct volcano; and on the far right you can see the two domes of the Royal Observatory.